


I'm Not an Angel, Baby

by Gold_and_Rubies



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Caesar's Legion, Canon Compliant, Drug Use, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Gun Violence, NCR | New California Republic, POV Alternating, Violence, redemption arc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-20
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:14:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26004757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gold_and_Rubies/pseuds/Gold_and_Rubies
Summary: Unsure if she is carrying on how she used to live or if she is making up for the sins of her past at first, the courier leaves a wake of good deeds in her wake. She makes friends, and a few enemies in what started as a quest for answers. She does her best to do the right thing in an attempt to save the wasteland.Benny becomes stunned by the repeated mercy she shows him. Confused by her selflessness and a near death experience of his own, he decides maybe he needs to change.This is Benny redemption arc.
Relationships: Benny (Fallout)/Female Courier, Benny (Fallout)/Original Female Character, Benny/Courier
Comments: 9
Kudos: 27





	1. Bridget

The Mojave Wasteland was an unforgiving place that tended to breed certain types of people. In order to survive one had to be wary, cutthroat, and unforgiving. That or you had to have a good sense of community, people you can fall back on if things go south. Or just really, really lucky. Bridget O' Donaghue was one of the lucky few. 

Bridget took a bullet head, with really the only downside being lost memories. It was a curse to not know who you really are, but it was better than the alternatives. She was just thankful that her eyesight didn’t get worse, and that her glasses did not break. 

She sat in what constituted more as a crevice than a cave in the mountains. She wished she had a fire, but the road from Nipton to Novac was crawling with Vipers and Legionaries. She did, however, risk having the radio play on her Pip-Boy. Mr. New Vegas recounted tales of a random hero’s good deeds. It took her a moment to realize that he was talking about her. 

She had no idea what kind of person she was before taking a bullet to the head, but she wanted to be a good person now. Either she was always a good person, or a near death experience made her want to be one. She supposed it didn’t matter much. 

She sat there and stared at the sky until it was sunrise. It wasn’t safe to travel at night. 

She stumbled out of the crevice, and took a moment to stretch out her limbs. They were unbelievably cramped from sitting in there all night. Grabbing her bag, she continued down the road to Novac. 

She felt a small amount of relief when the dinosaur came into sight. Towns were usually safe places. Usually. 

She walked up to the first person she saw. A woman in a blood soaked tank top. Bridget was starting to second guess the comfort she felt when she first saw the place. 

“Um, excuse me?” Bridget said in an attempt to get the woman’s attention. 

“Do you need help? Broken bone? Too many rads?” the woman responded. 

Although she was caught off guard by all the questions, it was nice to know where the blood came from. 

“Uh, no. I just want to ask a few questions.” 

“Well, hurry then. I have important things to do,” she demanded. 

She narrowed her eyes at her. She wasn’t fond of being talked to like that. 

“I’m looking for some people that came through here,” she explained, “One was a man in a black and white suit jacket.” 

“I saw them come through here,” the woman nodded, “but I don’t know anything about them. I think they stayed a night. You should talk to Jeanie May. She runs the motel.” 

“Thank you,” she said and took off toward the motel. She pushed open the door. It was surprisingly cool inside. A woman sat behind the counter to the right of the door. 

“Welcome! Welcome! I’m Jeanie May Crawford, and this is the Dino Dee-lite Motel. You look tired. I hope you didn’t spend too much time on the road,” she smiled. 

Something about the woman made Bridget’s skin crawl. She seemed like she was just a sweet, old woman, but there was something off about her. 

Her hand fell from the door to her hip, resting on her holstered revolver, “Can I ask you a few questions?” 

“Oh, of course dear!” 

“There are some people who came through here that I’m looking for. One of them was a man in a black and white checkered jacket. Do you have any ideas as to where they went?” 

“Oh yes, I remember that group. They were talking about the city, but they weren’t very civilized. I believe I heard that man say they were heading to New Vegas. I don’t know why though, or which way they headed exactly. You should talk to Manny Vargas. He’s our daytime sniper up in the mouth of Dinky.” 

“Thanks,” she responded. Her hand raised back to the door, but she hesitated for a moment. The thought of renting a room crossed her mind. It would have been nice to sleep in an actual bed, but something held her back. She decided it would be better to sleep under the stars here. At least for the time being. 

She blinked a few times as she stepped back into the wastes. The sun seemed particularly bright that day. 

She made her way up the stairs. Inside the dinosaur she briefly greeted the man running the gift shop before heading up the next set of stairs. He was the first person she met in this town that did not set off any alarm bells. She knocked softly on the door before opening it. The last thing she needed was to be staring down the barrel of a rifle. 

“Hey, what’s going on?” Manny greeted. 

“Hi. I was just wondering if you could answer some questions for me?” 

“Well, what do you want to know?” he asked, his voice edged with caution. 

“There was a group of men that were here. One of them had a black and white checkered coat on. I need to know where they went.” 

“Must be pretty important if you’re hunting down a group like that,” he folded his arms across his chest. 

“I… They took something from me. I need answers,” she explained. 

“You know I’d love to help, but I have some things I need help with,” he proposed. 

She struggled to suppress a groan in response. She was more than willing to help people, but she did not appreciate the way he set this up. 

She rolled her eyes, “Fine. What do you need?” 

“Novac is home for me, and I want it to be permanent, but there’s an issue. The only thing we have here is scrap, which we get from the old REPCONN test site. Recently, a bunch of ghouls moved in. They need to go. I’d do it myself, but I need to keep watch,” he explained. 

She folded her arms over her chest, “Alright, but don’t expect me to get it done right away. I haven’t slept for a few days.” 

“As long as you get it done.” 

She nodded, and headed back down. She spent the rest of the day asking everyone else if they had any information on the man. Instead she ended up agreeing to help the old ranger and the McBrides. She also heard whispers about the other sniper. The one with the night shift. 

Her body ached from the long day, but she forced herself to climb the steps again. Again she softly knocked on the door before opening. This time the man on the other side of the door was a lot less welcoming. 

“Don’t sneak up on me. What do you want?” he demanded. 

Despite his unwelcoming tone, he was one of the few people there that she didn’t immediately feel threatened by. She could sense something was wrong, but not in the same way as the old woman. 

“Relax,” Bridget put up her hands, “I’m just here to ask a few questions.” 

“I think you need to leave,” he said coolly. 

“Look, I’m only here to get some information. The sooner I get that the sooner I’ll leave,” she argued. 

“Wait. You aren’t from around here are you? Maybe you shouldn’t go. Not yet.” 

She scowled at the sudden change, “Why?” 

“I need someone I can trust. You’re a stranger. That’s a start,” he said. His expression was impossible to read from behind his sunglasses. She realized he was wearing sunglasses at night. She became more confused. 

One of her eyebrows raised from the scowl, “You only trust strangers?” 

“I said it was a start,” he reiterated, “This town… nobody looks me in eyes anymore.” 

“What do you want me to do?” she asked cautiously. She was unsure of what to make of the situation. While she did not feel like he was a bad person, the words from his mouth were not exactly reassuring. 

“I want you to find something out for me,” he sighed, “I don’t know if there is anything to find, but I need someone I can try. My wife was taken from our home by Legion slavers one night while I was on watch. They knew when to come and what route to take, and they only took Carla. Someone set it up. I don’t know who.” 

Her scowl turned into an apologetic frown, “I’m sorry. I know how horrible the Legion can be. I was the first person to see what they did to Nipton. You want me to track her down?” 

“No. I want the son of a bitch who sold her… I know she’s dead.” 

She nodded, “Alright, I’m more than willing to help. What do you want me to do?” 

He pulled his beret off and handed it to her, “Take the person to the front of the dinosaur and put this on. I’ll take care of the rest.” 

She nodded, and headed back down the stairs for the second time. Normally she wouldn’t agree to helping with a hit like this, or at least she thought she wouldn’t do it. This person, though, no matter how innocent they seemed, did something unforgivable, and they could be putting others at risk. 

She ran through all the people in the town. Given their statuses as ex-NCR army, and their reactions to what happened at the ranger station, she immediately crossed out Manny and Ranger Andy. Nobark was too paranoid to do anything like that. As off putting as the doctor seemed, Bridget didn’t think she would do something like that, and she was too new. Cliff apparently spent all of his time in the dinosaur or his home. That left the McBrides and Jeanie May. 

She settled on Jeanie. The old woman filled her with dread already. It wouldn’t hurt to do some investigating. 

She walked to the door of the motel lobby, and was surprised to see the door was unlocked. Trust like that was rare. 

She looked around the room, and immediately spotted the safe behind the desk. She pulled out a bobby pin she hid in the bun holding her black hair from her face. She cracked the safe in a small amount of time. She pulled out the first paper she laid eyes on, and felt her blood run cold. 

It was the perfect proof. A bill of sale. She pocketed that, and the caps for good measure. 

She jogged over to Jeanie May’s home, trying not to shake too much from the anticipation. She banged on the door, and hoped it would wake her up. 

Luckily, it did, and before she could say anything Bridget was begging her to follow her. She tried not to show any reaction to how easily she agreed to follow. 

“So, what did you need to show me, dear?” she asked once they got to the front of the dinosaur. 

Bridget pointed straight ahead of them, and pulled on the beret, “Over there.” 

The sound of Boone’s rifle sounded as soon as the beret was on her head. She looked down to her side, and sure enough she laid dead beside her. 

Boone was ready for her this time when she opened the door this time. She immediately handed over the beret. 

“How did you know?” he asked, grabbing it from her. 

“This,” she said, handing over the bill of sale. 

“Guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” he sighed, “Here. A hundred caps. It’s all I can give. I think our dealings are done here.” 

She ran her thumb over the bag of caps. She looked at him, and a feeling that she shouldn’t leave him behind. 

“What are you going to do now?” 

“I don’t know. I won’t be staying. Don’t really see the point in doing anything, but hunting legionaries. Maybe I’ll wander. Like you.” 

“You could come with me,” she offered. 

“You don’t want that,” he argued. 

“I have to take care of something, but I’m planning on taking down as many of those fuckers I can along the way, besides, you’ll do a lot better if you have someone watching your back.” 

“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

“Well, alright then. We can head out when you’re ready,” she nodded. She hid how pleased she was to have someone to watch her back. 

“Tomorrow evening would be best.” 

“Okay,” she agreed, and proceeded down the stairs for the third time that day.


	2. Bridget

“So, are you going to tell me what we’re doing now, or did Manny not give you any info?” Boone asked as Bridget walked down the Dinky the Dinosaur’s steps for hopefully the last time. 

She stopped on the second to last step, causing her to be taller than him. She squinted in the bright desert sun to somewhere off in the distance, and sighed, “I was attacked by a group of men while I was doing a job for the Mojave Express. Not only did they steal something from me, they also tried to kill me. One of them shot me in the head. I’m trying to track them down.” 

“Alright. Won’t hear any judgement from me. What did Manny tell you?” he responded. His expression remained the same. 

“Most of the people who attacked me were Great Khans. They were just hired to help. The guy who hired them, the one in the tacky jacket, he gave me his name, and he told me where they’re going. Boulder City,” she paused for a moment, “Does the name Benny mean anything to you?” 

“No. I do know how to get to Boulder City.” 

“Then let’s get out of here,” she said, and together they left Novac. 

They were silent as they walked through the desert. She quickly learned that he did not like talking about himself, or asking her questions to get to know her better other than planning and strategy. She was not exactly complaining, though. She could not give answers if she could not remember anything. 

They got to Boulder City by dusk. They would have gotten there sooner if the wildlife had been calmer. They approached the junk door that led to the ruins, but they were stopped by an NCR lieutenant. 

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to stop you right there. We can’t let anyone in,” he said. 

“Why what’s going on?” she asked. 

“We have a hostage situation going on with some Great Khans,” he explained, “There haven’t been any deaths yet, but they’ve taken some of our soldiers.” 

Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought about what to do. She needed to talk to the Khans, even if Benny was not with them anymore. She needed answers. 

“Maybe… maybe I could try talking to them. Having a third party negotiator can’t hurt,” she offered. 

“Alright, if we hear shooting we’ll help, but you’ll probably already be dead,” he warned. 

“I think we can handle it,” she assured him, and she and Boone headed into the ruins. 

“Wait,” Boone said just as they entered the gate, “I think I should hang back here with the soldiers. I do better from a long range.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him. He was not lying. She was sure of that, but he was not giving her all of the reasons why he wanted to stay back. 

“Alright, if you’re sure.” 

He simply nodded in response. 

The soldiers eyed her warily as she made her way through the ruins towards the Khans. The Khans on the other hand had cautiously surprised looks on their faces. She was not sure if they were impressed by her confidence, or if they recognized her. 

She kept her hand resting on her revolver as she walked up to one guarding a door. 

“Who’s in charge here?” she asked. 

“Why the fuck would I tell you?” he demanded. He seemed to be a little freaked out to her. 

She narrowed her eyes at him, “You recognize me don’t you? Then you know I don’t go down easy. Just let me talk to who’s in charge, and we’ll get out of here.” 

He looked away and huffed, “Fine. Jessup is inside. He’s the one you’re gonna want to talk to.” 

“Thank you,” she said, and walked in the door. 

She was met with a gun pointing at her face. She scoffed in response, not exactly surprised. Afterall, they helped put her in the ground. 

“What the- you’re that courier Benny wasted! You’re supposed to be dead,” Jessup spat. Despite his tone she could tell he was freaked out. He had gone as white as a sheet. 

“I got better,” she shrugged, “We need to talk.” 

“And I thought us Great Khans were tough to kill. What do you want?” 

“Where’s the chip you stole from me, and where is Benny?” she demanded. Her voice was deadly calm. 

His nose wrinkled, “Don’t have it. Benny stole it, before he stabbed us in the back. Probably back to the Strip by now laughing at us.” 

She sighed in frustration. She hoped she would not have to track him any farther. She wanted answers. 

She took a deep breath, and changed the subject, “Then let’s talk about settling things between you and the NCR.” 

He scoffed, “What’s there to negotiate. The NCR backs off, we walk away.” 

She leaned forward, bracing her wait on her hands on the counter that separated them. Her glasses slid down her nose, so she stared at him over the frames. 

“How about this,” she spoke slowly, “You release those hostages first, then you can walk away.” 

He looked at her, clearly conflicted. She could practically see the gears turning in his head. 

“Fine. You’re going after Benny right? Shove this up his ass when you find him,” he slammed down a lighter on the counter, “You don’t screw over the Khans and get away with it.” 

She gingerly picked up the lighter, and examined it. She pocketed it. Making fires just got a lot easier. With a nod she left the building. 

She mulled over what she was going to do. On the one hand, she could get payback. They helped rob her and shoot her. On the other she could keep her word, and let the Khans go free. She did not want more death than was necessary, and it seemed like Benny had screwed them over big time. 

She strode up to Boone. She had on hand in her pocket where she was running her thumb over the lighter. The other continued to rest on her gun. 

“And?” He asked. 

“Hostages are free, and it looks like we’re headed to New Vegas.” 

He stood, and stared down at her. She leaned back instinctively. He was intimidating. 

“Good job,” he said simply. The small compliment felt genuine. 

A small smile played at her lips. She had a feeling he did not give out praise often. Together they left the ruins. 

The lieutenant was waiting for them where they had left him. 

“The hostages are safe, and not a shot was fired,” she relayed to him. 

“Good job, but I just got orders to take care of the Khans.” 

Boone spoke up before she could, “They agreed to let the hostages go peacefully.” 

The lieutenant looked at him. His expression was a mixture of sympathy, and what she thought was fear. He stammered, “Orders are-” 

“Orders. I know, but don’t you think that honoring agreements would help win the favor of the people in the Mojave?” she argued. She glanced at Boone. His face was unreadable. His body looked tense. 

“You’re in the first recon, aren’t you?” 

“I was.” 

The lieutenant nodded, “We’ll honor the agreement. Thank you for your help.” 

She let some of the tension in her shoulders go. She was confused, but glad she did not have to argue further. “We should make camp here. Not out in the desert,” she said before they got too far. 

He turned towards the ruins without a word. She had a feeling that was going to be a pattern as she sped up to catch him. They made camp in silence. She used her newly acquired lighter to start their campfire. By the time they finished the sun was completely set. 

She stared at Benny’s lighter in her palm. The fire reflected off of the metal. She had more questions than answers now. Who was Benny really? Why did he attack her? Why did he hire the Khans? Why did he steal the chip? Why was it important? 

She frowned at the fire. Whoever this asshole was, she was going to get answers from him. Even if it meant tracking him all over the wasteland.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly? I had no idea where I was going with this chapter. I just want to build Bridget up as a character. The nest chapter is going to be from Benny's pov


	3. Benny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens when Benny returns to The Tops.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long!

Benny straightened the collar of his jacket and patted his hair into place as he approached the steps of The Tops. Though he would never admit to it, he could not believe his luck. Not only had he taken care of that courier and gotten his hands on the chip, he had also managed to successfully lose the Khans. Not being attacked while walking through Freeside was definitely a plus. 

He relaxed as he stepped into the casino. The wastes could be so harsh. He would know better than anyone, but he had gotten used to living in the lap of luxury. 

Swank was talking to one of the Chairmen in charge of greeting guests. Benny could not be bothered to remember his name. Benny walked right past them, eager to get the chip to his room. 

He had only taken a few steps past him before Swank was shouting his name and was almost chasing after him. 

“Benny, where the hell did you go? I knew you were going on a bender, but a month?” he hissed. At least Swank had the mind to keep his voice down when he actually tried to figure out where Benny had gone. 

Benny glared at him, “If I wanted you to know, I would have told you. Now, unless the place is about to burn down, leave me alone. I have some things to sort out.” 

Swank frowned at him, but did not say anything further. If he kept up with this kind of attitude Benny was going to have to take care of him somehow. He did not want anyone questioning his authority. 

He walked briskly to the elevators, shooting warning glares to any of the chairmen that tried to talk to him. He made it very clear he was busy. 

When the doors of the elevator slid open on his floor he almost sprinted to his room. He was thankful no one was out in the hall. More than anything, he cared about his reputation. 

He closed the door to his room. His hands were shaky with excitement as he fished out the chip from his pocket. He almost dropped it while he walked to his closet door. 

Yes Man was waiting for him in the secret room on the other side with his permanent smile. Benny thought the smartest decision he made in regards to the securitron was changing his face. It was a lot less alarming than the others. 

“Benny!” Yes Man greeted in his faux-cheerful voice, “Good to see you, and I see you were able to get the chip.” 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let’s not bash ears here. Just tell me how to find out what’s on this thing,” he walked briskly to the terminals that lined the walls. 

“Oh! You can’t use a normal terminal!” 

Benny paused.He blinked a few times, and slowly turned towards Yes Man. He took a deep breath and surprised himself with how calmly he spoke. 

“What?” 

“There are only two different places where you can read that chip. The Lucky 38, and Fortification Hill,” he explained like Benny was a young child. 

He ran a hand down his face, “Why didn’t you tell me that sooner.” 

“You didn’t ask.” 

He groaned. He wanted to shout or hit something. He applied some self control for once. The last thing he needed was to get caught, and, well, Yes Man could not feel pain so that would not achieve anything. 

“Well the 38 is out of the question. That’s for damn sure…” he muttered to himself. He felt paranoid to hell and back walking back to The Tops. 

“Find a way for me to get to The Fort without having to deal with the Legion… bunch a wet rags,” Benny ordered. 

“Your wish is my command,” Yes Man confirmed. Benny thought he sensed a hint of sarcasm in the robot's overly happy voice. 

He turned on his heel, and walked back through the closet, slamming the door closed behind him. He flipped the chip over and over and over as he thought about what to do next. 

He decided it would be best to just go about business as usual. At this point it was a waiting game, and he would have the patience of a saint to win. 

He needed to calm down if he was going to wait, so he switched on the radio to distract himself. He tuned in just in time for one of the news segments. 

“I’ve got news for you,” Mr. New Vegas relayed, “a package courier found shot in the head near Goodsprings has reportedly regained consciousness, and has made a full recovery. Now that is a delivery service you can count on.” 

His blood ran cold. How…? 

He shook his head. It did not matter. He doubted she’d come after him. It was just the paranoia speaking. Besides she had not won the first fight, why would she hunt him down for a second? He chuckled to himself. It was just paranoia trying to seep in. He doubted she could even make it through the desert.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short. There won't be another Benny chapter until the first confrontation. Did I have tabs with slang open? yes. Did I use any? once.


	4. Bridget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica joins the party

Bridget squinted at the east gate of Freeside. Every step filled her with anticipation. She was slowly realizing that she did not really have a plan. She was probably going to let her fists do the talking if she was honest with herself. Even if she did not want to be the violent type. 

“This is so exciting! I’ve never been to New Vegas before…” Veronica exclaimed behind her. 

They had picked up the scribe on the way from Boulder City. Bridget was under the impression that they could always use more people on their side, and she was good with her fists and her head. Bridget was good with her mind too, but she was not the best at repairs and modding and robotics. It probably helped that she did know, or remember, what the Brotherhood of Steel is. 

Boone was not complaining about having her around, but he was wary of her. More so than most strangers. He was not particularly fond of the Brotherhood, but they were not Legion, so he would put up with the differences. Her skills definitely helped give him a more positive opinion of her. 

Bridget took a deep breath, and stepped through the gates. She followed Boone as he led them through Freeside. As far as she knew he was the only person who had been there before. 

She was alert as they walked. It seemed like everyone they walked past was eyeing them up suspiciously. A small group of children chased a giant rat with makeshift spears.The atmosphere itself was uneasy. 

The inner portion of Freeside was a little more relaxed. Probably due to the gamblers. 

As they approached the gates to New Vegas they were stopped by an older black man. 

“You all look new to Freeside, so here’s a little advice friends,” he said, “Don’t go past the south gate greeter without talking to it first.” 

Bridget narrowed her eyes at him, “Why?” 

“Those bots are programmed to vaporize anyone who enters the fenced-in area without authorization from the greeter,” he explained, “You’re going to need to pass a credit check or present a passport.” 

“Credit check?” she asked. 

“Yeah, you need two thousand caps. Per person.” 

“Thanks for the warning.” 

“Of course.” 

She turned to her companions, and groaned in frustration. She took her glasses off, running a hand over her face. She pinched the bridge of her nose, “Well, at least we didn’t die. How many caps do you all have?” 

Boone patted his pockets while Veronica poked around her pack. 

“Two hundred?” Boone said. 

Veronica produced a leather bag, “About, one hundred sixty-two.” 

“I have five hundred something. Looks like we’re off to work. At least we should be able to find work here. Crimson Caravan and Camp McCarran aren’t far. I’ve got a… friend at the latter, and a woman up at the Mojave Outpost told me to go there for work.” 

“Crimson Caravan it is then,” Veronica smiled, “Wait, is this an actual friend, or…?” 

“An actual friend. I saved him.” 

“Let’s find a place to stay for the night before we go do anything. If we’re gonna do courier work, We should wait until daylight,” Boone suggested. 

“Fair enough. That casino we passed should have rooms,” Bridget said. 

“Yeah.” 

Veronica wrinkled her nose. It was not Bridget’s ideal place for rest either, but at least it had a roof and intact walls. It was likely safer than most places, and she had a distinct feeling they were going to need the rest. The next few days were going to be exhausting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so short. I don't really want to spend too much time on side quest stuff right now, and I didn't want the chapter to get too messy


	5. Bridget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cass joins the party

Bridget’s legs ached as they climbed up the hill to the Mojave Outpost. The things she would do for caps. At least she could claim she has never killed an innocent for some. She hoped. Her life before the grave was still nonexistent to her. 

“I underestimated how hard courier work can be,” Veronica said. Most people did. 

Bridget was starting to wonder why she started in the first place. Her endurance was horrible. It must have been for the caps. 

She relaxed a bit as they passed the statues. Places like this were some of the safest in the wastes. As long as they were not an enemy of the NCR. 

She blinked blearily as they stepped into the barracks. Boone took his sunglasses off for once. The sunlight was harsh, even when it was not blisteringly hot. She wished she did not know who exactly they were looking for. It would have been nice to rest there for a while. 

She scanned the room, looking for the woman. Her eyes landed on the bar. She was sitting in the same exact place when Bridget had met her the first time. 

“Miss Cassidy?” 

Cass sighed, “You come around like a bad habit. What’s on your mind.” 

“Crimson Caravans wants to buy Cassidy Caravans,” Bridget explained. 

“They want to buy Cassidy Caravans?” she scoffed, “Don’t they know it’s burned to ash? No… even times being what they are, not sure I’m looking to sell, even for all the whiskey in Reno.” 

“Why not? You told me about what happened. Hard to come back from that.” 

She finally turned from her drink to look at them, “If someone came up to you and offered you a thousand caps for your name, would you take it? Actually, you know what? Fuck it, I don’t want to hear your answer anyway. Point is I made the Caravan. It’s mine.” 

Bridget held up the paper, “You haven’t even looked at the terms. They seem pretty damn fair to me.” 

“Alice McLafferty, eh? No, I see the zeroes… and I know she’s good for them. It’s not about the money. Dad’d spin like a twister if he ever heard I sold our name for anything,” she sighed again, “Look, I know you cam all this way, and that takes some drive, especially these days. Just don’t feel right. Trading history for a slip of paper….” 

“I know that as much as you don’t want to sell, it seems like you want to leave this place more. Your caravan status is keeping you here. You really want to be stuck here forever?” 

“Dammit… you’re right. Give me the paper before I change my mind. No sense trying to hold the past between your fingers when it’s nothing but dirt. Hey, Lacey, you got something to write with?” 

Bridget placed the agreement in front of Cass. 

“Wow, finally asking for something other than liquor?” Lacy joked as she handed over a pen. 

Cass rolled her eyes at her. She signed the paper with a frown. 

“There. It’s done. Caravan is yours. I actually feel a bit relieved….” 

“What are you going to do now?” Bridget asked. She felt a bit bad, even though this was probably better for everyone. 

“No idea. Maybe… head back West? Though the idea of heading back there with my tail between my legs isn’t appealing.” 

She looked between Boone and Veronica. Veronica shrugged at her, and Boone gave her a confused look. 

“You could come with us?” she suggested. 

“Why would I do that?” 

“It’s better to not travel alone, and if it means anything, once we have the caps We’ll be heading to New Vegas. There’s… someone I need to talk to.” 

“New Vegas, huh? Well, it’s better than staying here. Let’s go.” 

Bridget nodded, “Welcome to the team. This is Boone and Veronica.” 

Boone nodded at her. 

Veronica held out her hand for Cass to shake, “It’s nice to meet you.” 

Cass shook it wordlessly. Bridget did not blame her. 

She peered out of the window, studying the sky. 

“We should have time to at least get to Novac,” she glanced at Boone, who just frowned at her, “Right, Primm’s not far either. They might have work too.” 

“Sounds good to me,” Boone said. The others nodded in agreement. 

“Let’s go then.” 

They fell into a natural marching order as they walked to Primm. Veronica scouted ahead with her power fist. Bridget kept her fingers on the trigger of her revolver. Radier and Powder Ganger activity was high in the area. Even with her taking down some. Cass was a few paces behind her, with Boone bringing up the rear. 

The walk was almost eerily peaceful. Other than some giant ants in the distance, there was nothing to cause concern. 

Bridget took the lead when they arrived, and took them straight to the Mojave Express. Veronica groaned quietly behind her. Bridget guessed she was really not a fan of courier work. 

They crowded into the small room. Johnson Nash was behind the counter, and greeted them without looking up. 

“Johnson,” Bridget greeted. 

He looked up, surprised, “Bridget O’ Donoghue, right? I thought you were tracking down those men. What are you doing here?” 

“Turns out the guy who orchestrated everything is an important guy on the New Vegas strip. So, we need caps,” she explained. 

“Ah, so you’re looking for work. I’m afraid I don’t have anything for you.” 

“What’s with the eyebot?” Veronica asked. 

Bridget shot her a confused look. 

“Some courier brought it in for repairs. Thought I’d fix it up and use it for something, but it’s out of my skill set,” he explained. 

“Maybe I could take a look at it. I’m pretty familiar with tech.” 

He was quiet for a moment, mulling something over in his head. He said, “I’ll tell you what, if you can manage to fix that thing up, I’ll pay you fifty caps and it’s yours. It’s been taking up space for too long.” 

“Deal,” she smiled. 

“Hey, is the hotel open yet?” Bridget asked. 

“Yes, it is. Thanks to you.” 

“Alright. Veronica, we’re going to go rooms. Meet me in the lobby when you’re done?” 

“Will do.” 

They left Veronica, and stepped into the cool evening air. Bridget felt oddly confident. Though there was still plenty of work on the horizon, she felt like things were actually going her way. She hoped she was not cursing herself.


	6. Bridget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bridget and Veronica work alone, and Bridget learns something about herself.

“Hey Julie,” Bridget greeted. 

“Welcome,” she smiled, “I heard about how you were able to negotiate a truce between the Kings and the NCR. You have no idea how great of a help that is. What can I do for you?” 

“Heh, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Just trying to do the right thing. Anyway, I was wondering if you have any work that needs to be done.” 

“There is always work that needs to be done, but I’m afraid I won’t be able to pay you in caps. We might be able to spare some stimpaks, though.” 

“Well, what needs to be done?” 

“A few souls here in Freeside could be great assets to the community, if they’d kick their addictions,” she explained. 

“Who are they?” 

“Old Bill Honte and Jacob Hoff… They’re not going to kick their habits on their own.” 

“Where can I find them?” 

“In Freeside, the drunks and drug addicts flock in and around the Atomic Wrangler. I’d start there.” 

She nodded, “Alright, I’ll see what we can do.” 

“Sobering them up and putting them back to work would go a long way towards helping Freeside, so please, do what you can.” 

Bridget ducked out of the tent Julie had been sitting in. She had to blink a few times to let her eyes adjust to the lack of shade. 

Her companions were waiting for her by the gates to the Old Mormon Fort. Boone looked a bit uncomfortable. She did not blame him. The beret made him stand out like a sore thumb. Veronica was messing around with Ed-E. The thing had become like a pet to her, or well, pet project. And Cass… well, she did not know her well enough to get a good read on her. 

“And?” Boone asked as she walked up. At least he was straight to the point. 

“There are some addicts she wants us to talk into getting clean. Payment won’t be in caps, though. It’ll be stims.” 

“But don’t you need the caps?” Cass asked. 

“Yeah, but stims are stims. It’ll be saving us money in the long run, besides everything’s here in Freeside. Don’t really have much to lose other than time,” she argued. 

“Fine,” Boone frowned. 

“Actually, now that I think about it, how about you and Cass stay at the Wrangler. Veronica and I can handle it,” she said. Though she liked them, her companions were not exactly the best with people, especially Boone. She doubted they would want help from a scary looking ex-First Recon sniper, and Cass did not exactly have a gentle hand from what she had seen. 

Cass cocked an eyebrow at her, “You sure?” 

“Yeah. I mean, right now you’re not getting much out of this, and Boone could probably use a break.” 

“And you don’t?” Veronica asked. 

“I’m the one who dragged you all out here, aren’t I?” she argued back. 

“Yeah.” 

“Then go. We’ve got this.” 

Boone and Cass shared a look, and she said, “We’ll be at the Wrangler then.” 

They headed to the street that the Atomic Wrangler sat on together, but split once they got to the door. 

“So where do we start?” Veronica asked. 

“The ruins?” 

“Alright.” 

They poked around the ruins, asking anyone they deemed not blackout drunk or high if they knew the two people they were looking for. They tried asking the guard at the door if he knew anything. He denied. Bridget doubted he told the truth. The fact they found Bill Ronte in the building across the street. 

She spotted the man through holes in the wall of the building. She felt sympathy as she looked at him. He was clearly strung out on something. She was surprised no one tried to get him help earlier. 

“Excuse me,” she addressed him, “Do you know Bill Ronte or Jacob Hoff?” 

“Yeah, I’m Bill. Dixon send you? He said he’d be back today,” he said. 

“No,” she knelt so she was on the same level as him, “Julie Farkas sent me to help you sober up.” 

“Julie? Oh, I love Julie. She’s such a nice lady,” she could hear the pain in his voice, “One time, I was working on the water pump and she came over, put her hand on my shoulder, and told me I was doing a great job. Great Job she says! I just choked up and didn’t say nothing. Compliments are so rare these days.” 

She tried to pick her words carefully, and spoke gently, “Then why don’t you stop drinking for her?” 

“Drop drinking?” he exclaimed, “I’ve been drinking for a straight month! Listen, I’ve tried to stop, but the withdrawal symptoms are so bad I feel like I’m going to die. I can’t stop now.” 

“Who’s selling to you?” 

“Dixon. He sells me booze dirt cheap. It does the job, but it tastes like paint thinner and I feel like I’m going to die if I stop drinking for a day. I swear that guy is trying to kill me, but what can I do? Drinking other booze doesn’t cure the sickness.” 

“Where is he normally?” she asked as softly as she could. She did not want to scare him off. 

“Outside of Mick and Ralph’s shop.” 

“Thank you.” 

She stood, and walked out of the ruins. She waited until they were near the criers to talk to Veronica. 

“That poor man. He seems so nice. Not many people come off like that.” 

“I’m more focused on how you handled that. I had no idea you could act that kind, and sympathetic.” 

“Honestly, I didn’t either.” 

Veronica stopped walking, “What?” 

“What?” 

“How do you not know something like that?” 

“I haven’t told you why I’m confronting Benny exactly, have I?” she sighed, “He attacked me. Robbed me, shot me in the head execution style, and left me for dead. Don’t know how I survived.” 

She pushed her dark hair from her temple, revealing the scar Benny gave her, “That’s where this came from. Can’t remember anything before the shot really. Just muscle memory and skills. I want to know why he did it to me… when I said I came from Goodsprings I guess I really meant their graveyard.” 

“Oh. Oh my god, I am so sorry. I understand why you want to get to Benny now. I’d probably act the same way. I’ve got your back.” 

“Thanks. I’d rather focus on the task at hand right now, though. If you don’t mind?” 

“Of course! Let’s go kick this asshole’s butt.” 

They wove their way through the streets of Freeside until they got to Mick and Ralph’s shop. There was a man leaning on the ways, smoking. Bridget approached him, fighting to keep herself calm. 

“Dixon?” 

“Looking for a fix, man? I got what you need.” 

She winced at the smell of his breath. It was like something had died in his mouth. 

“Do you know anything about Bill or Jacob?” she asked, trying not to sound too disgusted. 

“Yeah, man,” he laughed, “Those cats are out of their domes addicted to my shit. They can’t get enough. Pretty hilarious to watch. 

She felt a wave of disgust for a whole new reason, “I need you to stop selling to them.” 

He smirked, “Really? Aw, you’re such a saint. You know what? I might if there is something in it for me.” 

“Yeah, you’re head. Though there is a truce, tensions between the NCR and the people here are still pretty damn high, and it seems to me like Bill and Jacob are well liked. Wonder what a rumor about the NCR supplying you with cheap chems to kill people off would do?” 

She was not fond of playing the tough, threatening type, but she was not playing in this case. This guy needed good ass kicking, or maybe worse. She would not judge. 

“Alright, alright, I won’t sell to them anymore. You have my word.” 

“You’d better not,” she spat, “Now, where’s Jacob?” 

“Over there,” he gestured with his chin across the street. 

She gave him a final glare, before she dove into the ruins. There was a dead body lying in the rubble along the right side of the building. There was something around his neck. 

“Is… is that a collar?” Veronica whispered. 

“Looks like it. Poor guy probably died trying to get it off,” she sighed. She wondered who put it there. She knew the Legion did that to their slaves, but his clothes looked too nice. She tried not to think about it. 

They continued looking through the building until they found a man leaning against one of the ruined walls. 

“Jacob Hoff?” Bridget asked. 

“Yeah? You have chems, buddy? I could really use a fix.” 

Bridget frowned. He was just as bad as Bill. 

“No. Julie Farkas sent me. Said you could use some help.” 

“Julie is a saint, but I don’t need help. I feel young and strong, as long as I get my chems.” 

She knelt again, not wanting to appear threatening, “You don’t look great, Jacob. You need to stop using.” 

He laughed, “Why stop? I feel great! No worries. My guy will be here soon enough, just wait.” 

“He won’t be supplying you anymore.” 

“What?” he exclaimed, “I need a fix now!” 

“I want you to get better,” she said. She meant it. 

“Fine. If you care so much, then get me some shots of fixer. I’ll need at least ten to get me through the week. Then the Followers can help.” 

She shook her head, “No. You don’t need that. You are strong, and the Followers are more than willing to help you.” 

He sighed, “Alright. I’ll head over there now.” 

She stood ready to offer support if he needed it. He pushed himself up until he was standing. They helped him get to the gates of the fort, and then headed off to go get Bill. He had a far better reaction to being told that Dixon was no longer going to support him. He thanked them deeply, and they said their goodbyes. They checked in with Julie and they were on their way. 

When they got back to the Atomic Wrangler Boone and Cass were sitting at a table in front of the stage. A bottle of whiskey sat between them. 

“Hey guys,” Cass greeted, “Things go well?” 

“Yeah,” Bridget smiled, “Have a nice night off?” 

“Yeah. Boone struck it rich.” 

“What?” she and Veronica said in unison. 

“Played a game of blackjack and won… how many caps?” 

“Enough to get us all on the strip,” he said flatly. 

“Didn’t even really bet that much!” 

“Well, damn. Looks like we know what we’re doing tomorrow,” she replied. 

Cass handed her the bottle, “To whatever the hell you’re planning.” 

Bridget grabbed it, and drank. The next day was going to be one hell of a ride.


	7. Bridget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bridget and companions create a plan to deal with Benny, and get the chip.

All Bridget could feel as she approached the gates that separated the strip from Freeside was anticipation. She had no plans as to what she was going to do once she was finally able to confront him. All she knew was that she wanted answers, and that she was carrying a ridiculous amount of caps. 

As they waited for one of the securitrons to roll up, they all pulled out of their giant bags of caps. She felt a bit gross pulling the large, leather bag out of her pack. She had never had any need for two thousand caps. Never thought she would. 

They submitted to the credit check, and stepped through the gates. 

Despite the harshness of the sun, Bridget’s eyes doubled in size. She could tell the casinos were over the top from just seeing what she could over the fence, but she was shocked by the manicured lawns and plants. It made sense that they could afford it, but she could not believe that that was what they were wasting their money on. 

As they headed to the next gate, as The Tops was on the other side, that securitron, Victor rolled up to them from the steps of the Lucky 38. 

“Well, howdy partner! Nice to see you finally made it to New Vegas,” Victor greeted. Bridget was sure that if he was human his smile would be as big as the one displayed on the screen. 

“Victor, it’s… nice to see you, but I have something I need to do,” she replied coolly. She did not like the way she felt around the robot. 

He rolled in front of her to keep her from walking away, “Now, I’m sure you’re eager to go talk to that rascal, but I’m afraid there’s something you have to do first.” 

She groaned internally. Of course there would be something else. 

“Mr. House wants to talk to you. I suggest you do that as soon as possible.” 

She blinked at him a few times, “I’m sorry, what?” 

“Mr. House, he’s in charge of the Strip, he wants to talk to you.” 

“…Why?” 

“You’re going to have to talk to him to find out.” 

She glanced at her companions. They looked just as confused as she was. 

“Fine. Let’s get this done with.” 

“Great, but your friends are going to have to wait outside.” 

She closed her eyes. She could feel the frustration in her shoulders. She really did not like the idea of heading into the Lucky 38 alone, but she was smart enough to know that arguing with the securitron was not a good idea. 

She opened her eyes again, “Fine. Fine. I’ll go.” 

“You sure-” Veronica started to say. 

She looked over her shoulder at her, “I’ll be fine. Just wait here.” 

“And if you’re not?” Boone asked. Of course he would be pessimistic. 

“Kick Benny’s ass for me.” 

She thought she saw the ghost of a smile on his face. Cass and Veronica nodded, and she followed Victor up the steps and into the casino. 

***

Bridget frowned as she stepped out of the Lucky 38. Her mind was buzzing with what Mr. House had told her, and the strange environment the casino had. The audience she had as she exited did not help matters. 

Veronica and Cass were sitting on the steps with their backs to her, but Boone and ED-E were standing facing her. The eyebot started beeping loudly when the sensors picked her up. Boone straightened up when he saw her approaching. He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off. 

“Not here,” she said quietly, “Don’t want to have an audience. Let’s go back to the Wrangler.” 

Her companions gave her confused looks, but followed her wordlessly back to the Atomic Wrangler. She could practically feel Veronica holding back the questions as they walked through Freeside. 

They crowded into the room Veronica and Bridget had shared. The moment Boone shut the door she immediately started asking questions. 

“What was it like in there? Why did he want to talk to you? What was he talking about? How-” 

“How about one question at a time?” Bridget winced at her tone, “Sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” she shrugged, “Got ahead of myself.” 

Bridget took a deep breath before she started explaining, “It was… weird inside. Not a single person. Except for all of the dust, everything was in perfect order. Looked like it should’ve been scavenged a long time ago. Other than that probably looked like any casino you’d expect.” 

“Wonder if anyone’s ever been in there,” Cass said. 

“No idea. Anyway,” Bridget continued, “I took the elevator up to the penthouse to talk to Mr. House. Except I wasn’t actually talking to him. I was talking to a screen. I have no idea if it was a program or what. Whatever he is, turns out he’s the one behind the job that Benny hijacked. He wants me to get the platinum chip, and bring it to him.” 

Cass snorted, “All of this over a poker chip? I understand why you’re invested in this, Benny shot you in the head, but why the hell do they care so much?” 

“He wouldn’t go into details, but apparently it’s more than just a poker chip. I had kinda forgotten about it, cause you know, but if it’s worth shooting someone over, that asshole Benny shouldn’t have it from what I know.” 

“But you’re unsure if Mr. House should,” Veronica said. 

“Yeah. Either way, that means we need an actual plan now. Theft is a lot harder than just getting information. Especially when you’re supposed to be a dead woman.” 

“Where do you think he’s keeping it?” Boone asked. 

“Since it looks like a normal chip, probably on him. If it’s not, I have no idea, because I know nothing about The Tops.” 

“Seduce him,” Cass said matter of factly. 

“What?” 

“Seduce him. It’ll get you close to his pockets, and if not there it’ll get you into his room.” 

“Cass, I don’t think that’ll work. The guy shot me in the head. I doubt he’ll want to do anything like that with me.” 

“So? He’s a dirtbag, you just need to get cleaned up, which I have a feeling House will let you do since he wants that chip so bad.” 

“She’s not wrong,” Boone said. 

“But-” 

“Do you have any better ideas?” Cass asked. 

Bridget sighed, “Fine.” 

“I don’t know,” Veronica said, “there’s gotta be another way.” 

“You’re going to have to wear a nice dress.” 

“Where are you going to find one?” 

“I looked around the rooms. There’s nice clothes, makeup, hair stuff.” 

“Oh, well then, count me in.” 

“So, it’s settled. You guys can come with me, and stay in the rooms. Let’s go get ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long. I was going to include the actual convo with House, but I didn't feel like it. Sorry it took me so long to update with such a short chapter. Next chapter is the confrontation with Benny pov.


	8. Benny

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Benny is confronted by the Courier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She does try to seduce him, but nothing sexual actually happens

Benny leaned against the railing that circled around the floor where the gamblers sat playing their games. He had his back to them, his mind buzzing. Earlier that day someone had been let into the Lucky 38, had left, and had reportedly entered again with their friends. No one had ever been allowed in the Lucky 38. Not even him when he was Mr. House’s so called prodigy. 

His thoughts were interrupted by someone clearing their throat behind him. He turned to find the source of the noise, and his eyes landed on one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She was lithe and on the taller side. Her long, black hair was perfectly curled like the pre-war photos. Her lips were painted ruby red. Her bright blue eyes were darkened. Black glasses sat on her nose at a sultry angle. She was drop dead gorgeous, even despite the ugly scar above her right eyebrow. There was something familiar about her, though, and it was throwing him off. 

“What? You don’t recognize me?” the mystery woman purred. 

That was when it hit him. She was that damn courier he had shot in Goodsprings, and judging by how clean she was and the quality of her clothes, she was also the one who had been let into the Lucky 38. 

“What in the Goddamn…” he muttered in surprise. He blinked dumbly at her a few times before he composed himself. He cleared his throat, “Let’s keep this in the groove, hey. Smooth moves. Smooth like little babies. Hello. The broad they let into the Lucky 38 was you? Well, shit.” 

She took a step forward, and leaned on the railing of the stairs, “I’m getting better, though, not completely. Because I couldn’t recall your name. Unless, when you shot me, you ran off so fast that I didn’t get it.” 

_Did… did she just flirt with me?_ he thought, _What the fuck?_

He narrowed his eyes at her, “You making a pass at me sister? Because, I am out of your league.” 

That was not completely true. When it came to looks they were on pretty equal ground in his eyes. Her flirtatiousness was making him deeply uncomfortable, which in turn made him more uncomfortable as he was not the sort to turn down a pretty lady. 

She seemed to lean in closer, and her voice sounded too innocent for the words that came out, “What? Is it wrong to want a guy who’d shoot me in the head?” 

He hated how much of an effect she was having on him, but he could not just turn her away. He had a reputation to uphold. The last thing he needed was the other Chairmen making fun of him behind his back. 

“Did those bullets scramble your egg? Or have you always been a naughty broad?” he managed to retort. 

“What can I say? Girls like bad boys, and you… you’ve been downright awful,” she laughed. She took a step onto the first stair. She had definitely leaned in closer, trying to get into his personal space. 

Benny started to panic internally. He knew that whatever she was trying to do was wrong. He was not _that_ bad, but it was working, and if it were not for their history he would have gone along without hesitation. 

He tried to insult her again in hopes it would get her to back off, “You’re one sick pussycat, baby. There’s quins and then there’s… I don’t even know what to call you.” 

“I’m saying I dig you, despite it all. What do you say?” 

His discomfort with the situation finally broke through, “I hear ‘dig’ from you babe, and all I can think of is a shovel. How can this be? This ain’t forgiveness, it’s something… wrong.” 

She leaned in close, “I’m a courier, remember? Don’t you want me to handle your package?” 

How that line had managed to work on him, he would never tell, but it did. He had a feeling he was going to regret what he said next, but he did anyway. 

He sighed, “All right, honey baby. This is all kinds of wrong, but to my suite it is. Thirteenth floor. Don’t… don’t keep me waiting.” 

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she said as she followed him. 

He led her to the elevators. He had to shove his hands into his pockets, so she could not see him fidgeting. He was not just uncomfortable, but he was also… nervous. Something about her made him deeply nervous. 

A woman in a pink dress with short brown hair got onto the elevator with them. He could have sworn he saw the Courier wink at her. He ignored it, blaming his overactive mind. 

They stepped off of the elevator, as did the other woman, but she wandered down to the other end of the hallway. 

He could feel the Courier right behind him as he unlocked his door. They didn’t make it very far into the room as she cornered him up against the wall near the door. 

“Eager, are we?” he joked leaning forward to kiss her. It was easier to stave his nerves now that he thought things were going somewhere. 

“Not so fast,” her voice was completely different as she pushed him back towards the wall, “I want to ask some questions first.” 

He looked at her face. Seduction had given way to seriousness. He cursed himself. He should have seen this coming. At least she was not gunning for revenge, not at this point at least. 

“First?” he said, raising an eyebrow at her. 

She did not look amused, “Some people think information is a commodity.” “Why did you shoot me?” 

“I didn’t want there to be any loose strings, but apparently that didn’t work.” 

“No shit,” she said flatly, “You need to work on your aim. Why did you hire the Khans?” 

That question confused him, “Why do you care?” 

No reaction. 

“Fine. Don’t like doing the literal dirty work myself. Why dig a grave when you can hire someone else to do it for you? And I didn’t know how much trouble you’d be.” 

She nodded before asking her next question, “What the hell is this chip, and why is it so important?” 

He snorted, “Oh come on, Doll. You talked to House didn’t you? He didn’t tell you what it is?” 

That was when it hit him. She was not exacting her revenge, not because she just wanted a chat, no, House had put her up to this. She was here for the chip. He needed to leave with it as soon as he could. 

“All you need to know is that it’s a piece of very powerful tech.” 

“Do you actually know what it does?” She placed her hands on his hips causing him to swallow hard. She knew exactly what she was doing, and he hated himself because it was working. That is until he realized her hands weren’t traveling over his body to feel him up. Instead they were headed for his pockets. 

He started to panic. He would not let House get the chip back, so he did the first thing he thought of, which was to punch her in the face. She stumbled backwards, falling to the floor. He stepped over her quickly, and ran to his bedroom. He slammed the door shut behind him to create some space. He then ran to the closet door, and did the same. He ignored Yes Man as he ran past. The robot didn’t need to know where he was going. 

He ran through the hall to the secret elevator. He heard her heels clicking against the tile floor. She was a lot faster than he had realized. He barely managed to step into the secret elevator, and lock the door behind him before she caught up to him. He heard her banging on the door as he leaned against one of the walls. 

He fished the platinum chip out of his jacket pocket. He ran his thumb over as his mind raced. If House sent her, which he believed, then he was going to leave New Vegas. He needed to get to the Fort. Even if he did not have a plan to get past the Legion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how to feel about the ending lol


	9. Bridget

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bridget goes over the info she got, and goes to get patched up, making an ally in the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this took me so long. School and burn out are hard.

Bridget was confused. One minute she had Benny pinned up against the wall, hands on his hips. The next she was on her ass with her… she touched her nose. It hurt like hell, and didn’t feel quite right to the touch, never mind the blood. He had definitely broken her nose. 

She wiped her hand off on the couch behind her. A stained couch is the least she could do after everything he had done. She used her hand on the couch to push herself to her feet. 

She had seen him escape into his room, and had heard another open and slam shut. She wasn’t surprised that he had another way to escape. 

She ran into his room as quickly as she could in her heels. She quickly scanned the room until her eyes fell on the closet door. A secret escape route hidden in plain sight. She thought it was clever until she opened the door. When she did she was greeted with a giant, messy hole in the wall. She was not surprised. 

What did surprise her was what was on the other side. The walls were lined with terminals and various other pieces of tech. A securitron sat towards the middle simply staring at her. She kept her eyes on it as she moved towards the door. Either she was going to make Benny explain, or she was going to have to come back. 

She managed to somewhat run down the hallway he had entered, but she was scared to go too fast. The last thing she needed was a busted ankle. She spotted him entering another door as she rounded the corner, but by the time she got there she was too late. She pound on the door, kicked it, threw her body at it. It didn’t budge. 

She kicked one more time, before turning away with a deep sigh. At least this time their encounter didn’t end with her getting shot in the head. She’d take a punch over that mess any day. 

When she got back to the secret room behind the closet she eyed the securitron suspiciously. Curiosity ended up getting the better of her. 

“What are you doing here? Aren’t you one of Mr. House’s bots?” she asked. 

“I was before Benny hit me with an EMP, and had me reprogrammed to help him,” the robot said cheerily. His tone set her on edge, “After he reprogrammed me he gave me a name, so you can call me Yes Man.” 

Bridget wiped at the blood from her nose. She was going to have to find a way to slow the bleeding. 

She tilted her head back, “You wouldn’t happen to know where he went, would you?” 

“I do! He used his secret escape tunnel, to escape haha, and get to the Fort.” 

Her eyes widened, “Wait, the Fort? As in Caesar’s fort?” 

“That would be the one. There’s only two places that the chip will work in. The Lucky 38, and a secret base under the Fort.” 

“He isn’t working with the Legion, is he?” 

“Nope.” 

She nodded. At least that wasn’t a reason to hate him. Still, she was going to have to go after him. If she didn’t want him or Mr. House getting their hands on the chip, she definitely didn’t want the Legion getting their hands on it. 

She looked back up at Yes Man, realization hitting her, “You’re being very… forthcoming with the info. Why?” 

“Benny had me programmed so that I couldn’t say no, but he didn’t put any restrictions on who that applied to. That was pretty dumb, huh?” 

“Yeah, he doesn’t strike me as the smart type. Does anyone know you’re here?” 

“Just you, Benny, and the woman who programmed me.” 

She nodded again. It would be hard enough to get past the Chairmen with her nose all messed up. She didn’t need them to know what exactly happened. 

“It should stay that way. Don’t go and tell anyone what happened here.” 

“Yes ma’am!” 

She gave him a final unsure look, and headed back into Benny’s room. She went straight to the bathroom to look for things to help with the bleeding. She doubted he had anything that would be of use in his room, so once she was satisfied with the toilet paper she picked up, she left to go find Veronica. 

Veronica’s eyes doubled in size when she saw the state Bridget’s nose was in. 

“What happened?” she exclaimed. 

“Bastard sucker punched me, but I got some info. Let’s wait until we’ve got everyone to talk.” 

“Sounds good to me.” 

“Any idea where Boone and Cass are?” Bridget asked as they walked to the elevator. 

“Cass said she was going to head to the bar and theatre, and make sure there’s no way for him to escape that way. Boone is playing a game to keep an eye on the front doors, but I’m guessing he had another way out?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Figures.” 

They found Boone and Cass, who was surprisingly not at the bar. Grabbing the few weapons they had brought at the desk, they left. Thankfully no one asked questions about what happened. At most she got a few looks from the guests. She shivered as she stepped out of the casino into the cold night air. It could be hot as hell during the day, but it could be just as cold at night. The pains of living in the desert. 

“So,” Boone said, “What happened?” 

“I managed to get him to his room, and he answered a few questions, but he freaked out, and punched me in the face. Didn’t touch or see the chip at all. Good news is I know why he did what he did, so I got what I wanted. Bad news is where he’s headed. He’s going to the Fort.” 

“What?” Boone asked. She could see a little bit of anger bubbling up. 

“Relax, he isn’t working with them. At least not now, or out of his own free will. But if they get their hands on that chip… I’m not sure what will happen. I don’t know what it does, but it’s powerful. Sadly,” she sighed, “I don’t know how far ahead he is now, or where exactly he is.” 

“So what now?” Cass asked. 

“Right now I’m going to head down to the Old Mormon Fort to see if the Followers can do anything about my nose. After that I don’t know. I’ll figure out what I’m going to do in the morning.” 

“Alright, well, whatever you decide let me know. I want to get out of this damn dress,” Cass said walking off to the Lucky 38. 

Bridget looked between Boone and Veronica. 

“The Legion is probably going to catch him,” Veronica said. 

“I know.” 

“That just means we’ll have to fight more legionaries. What a tragedy,” Boone said. 

Bridget raised an eyebrow at him, “Was that sarcasm?” 

“Yes. Anyway, do you want anyone to go with you to the Followers?” 

“You guys can come if you want. I’ll be alright if neither of you do. I don’t think the Kings will let anything happen to me at this point.” 

He nodded, “Alright. I’m gonna head back to the Lucky 38 then.” 

“Me too,” Veronica said. 

“Alright, I see you guys in a bit then.” 

She turned hand headed down the strip. She wished she had grabbed something to keep herself warm. A sweater or something. 

Her grip tightened on her pistol as she entered Freeside. She felt like a bigger target in the dress, but she hoped her bloodied nose would scare away attackers, if not her gun. 

She managed to get to the Old Mormon Fort without being attacked. Her hands were stained with blood as she pushed open the doors. She wandered about looking for a doctor. She saw one, but they were attending to someone else. She poked her head into one of the tents in the back. One of the Followers she had seen around was standing over a table with his back to her. He seemed more like a researcher than a doctor, but she needed help. 

“Excuse me?” she said, stepping into the tent, “I don’t mean to bother you, but I think my nose is broken, and I was wondering if you could take a look at it.” 

“Hmm?” he responded, turning around. He wore glasses that looked like hers. 

“I don’t mean to bother you, but the only other person I found was already attending to someone else.” 

“Oh don’t worry about it. I wasn’t doing anything all that important anyway,” he replied. He sounded cheery like the robot, but it was way less unsettling. It was like he was genuinely happy to help her out. Knowing the Followers, he probably was. 

“There’s a chair right there, if you don’t mind sitting down. I’ll be right back. I have to get some supplies.” 

She sat down in the chair next to the table he had been working at. There were a series of test tubes, petri dishes, a microscope, and other things on the table. She felt like she was intruding looking at his work, but the instruments intrigued her. 

“Alright, let’s see what we have here,” he said as he entered the tent again. He set his supplies down on the table, then pushed away what he had been working on prior. 

He pulled up a chair so that he was sitting in front of her, “Okay… wait. You’re that courier that Benny shot that’s been helping out around here, aren’t you?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Thought so, though it was a bit hard to recognize you. What you’ve done around here really means a lot.” 

“Thanks. It means a lot to hear that, but I don’t know who you are.” 

“Arcade Gannon. Anyway, I’m guessing the other guy looks worse, but what exactly happened if you don’t mind me asking?” 

“Benny punched me.” 

“And I’m hoping he got what he deserved?” he asked as he looked at the bruising on her nose. 

“If you count mental scarring.” 

“Fair enough,” he turned to the table to grab something. 

“What were you working on?” 

“Oh, you know. Finding alternative treatments for common illnesses and injuries. Stimpaks out of barrel cacti and other fantastic improbabilities. As far as fruitless wastes of time go, it’s quite noble in its aims.” 

“That doesn’t sound so bad. A bit boring, but important. The current supply of stims isn’t going to last forever.” 

“True, and I’m enthusiastic about helping people, but nihil novi sub sole,” he sighed. 

She blinked, “What?” 

“Oh, sorry. Nothing new under the sun. If agave and mesquite were that miraculous, the locals would have figured out a few thousand years ago.” 

“Yeah, but you don’t know how radiation could have changed that.” 

“You’re not wrong, but I don’t think this will yield much fruit. No pun intended.” 

She was silent as he continued to tend to his nose. He clearly was unhappy with what he was doing, and he wanted to help people. Then the idea struck her. 

“If you’re so unhappy, why don’t you come with my friends and I?” she asked. 

That caught him off guard, “No offence, but why would I go anywhere with you?” 

“You want to help people, right? Well, we help people all the time, and you clearly don’t think this is helping anyone. Besides, we could use someone with actual medical training.” 

He paused, mulling it over before finally agreeing, “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and go with you, but let me be clear about something. If you plan to help Caesar’s Legion, this is going to be a brief relationship. I may not have all the answers for how to fix Freeside’s problems, but Caesar taking control isn’t part of the solution. Fair?” 

She laughed, startling him the process, “You’ve seen the people I travel with, right? We’re three women, and an ex-First Recon sniper. Doesn’t get much more anti-Legion than that.” 

“I… suppose you’re right,” he said as he started to put his things away, “But what about that robot? There’s something that doesn’t seem… all right to me,” noticing her expression he started to speak quickly, “I’m not saying we shouldn’t take it with us. I’m just saying that if it were to fall into Lake Mead and me irreparably damaged… and if you threw an EMP grenade in after it….” 

“What the hell are you talking about?” 

“It just seems a bit twitchy. Sometimes if you don’t look at some of these robots right the next thing you know you’re a pile of ash.” 

She scoffed, “That sounds a bit paranoid, Arcade.” 

“Does it?” he looked away, and spoke more quietly, “Does it?” 

She narrowed her eyes at him, “Anyway, thanks for the help. I’ll come get you tomorrow morning if you're ready?” 

“Hmm? Oh yes. I should be ready by then. See you tomorrow morning.” 

“See ya,” she said, and left. At least that went alright. It was nice to have someone who actually knew how to patch her up on her side, even if he was a bit paranoid.


End file.
